The Filipino people’s skill and resourcefulness are displayed in various artistic mediums, but the nation’s textile art makes it distinctive and lively. Tragically, the Philippine textile industry is in decline in today’s technological age. But these textiles continue to serve as important cultural and traditional expression methods for Filipinos. It even demonstrates the Filipinos’ prudent and diligent way of life as they make these handcrafted textiles.
FAMOUS WEAVING PROCESS
Handloom weaving is the typical process for creating gorgeous and vivid textiles in the Philippines. The traditional weaving loom is made of bamboo and strings. Observing them at work is fascinating as they produce beautiful fabrics. Because making textile art is challenging, completing one takes a lot of work and persistence.
SYMBOLISM OF EVERY DETAIL IN WEAVING
In the Philippines, weaving is seen as more than merely a practice kept alive for practical or religious reasons; rather, it is regarded as an aesthetic expression of beliefs. For instance, certain national rites are represented by fabrics and colors. Traditional courting, healing, war, harvest, and protection dances follow specific patterns. Indigenous tribes also link various occasions to specific colors. On the other hand, red is the color of power utilized by the Pinatubo Negrito for their healers. Typically, brown or earthy hues are kept for topics pertaining to death and sadness.
VARIETIES OF TEXTILE ART IN THE PHILIPPINES
Filipino textiles and patterns come in wide different varieties and are unique to the country. Every region of the Philippines has its unique handloom tradition, contributing to its identity. The Aklan Province, well-known for its pineapple textile, is today hailed as the “Mother of all Philippine Textile” and is widely used to produce the Barong Tagalog and Baro’t Saya national costumes of the Philippines. Abel weaving and Pinilian are well-known crafts in Ilocos. There are two different types of pinilian: distributed and additional weft methods.
Known across Mountain Province is bontoc weaving. The concept of centrality, which stands for consistency, order, and balance—three things that are crucial to the way of life of the Bontoc people—is prevalent throughout Bontoc textiles. Besides this, there are Mabal Tabih, Bagobo Inabal, Ramit, Dagmay, Maranao Textile, T’nalak, and Pis Syabit Textiles. Because of the labor-intensive process, weaving just one meter of cloth might take a week.
The Binanniya design is shaped like a lizard, symbolizing riches and nobility for Ifugao’s kadangyans—wealthy or high-status people. The Binituwon, or stars, represent the offspring of the sun and moon for the Ifugao tribes. When such a pattern is debossed on their belts, women feel they won’t have any trouble getting pregnant. The Yakan tribes’ designs are inspired by the Basilan island of Lamitan’s natural surroundings. Their fabrics include geometric designs and vibrant colors from abaca and pineapple fibers dyed with natural extracts.
The T’boli of Lake Sebu and South Cotabato are renowned for producing the t’nalak cloth. The hilets, or belts with tiny brass bells, are well-known and used for momentous occasions like birth, marriage, and death; they are said to ward off evil spirits. And the embroidery they use to adorn their conventional blouses narrates the story of their relationship with nature and the nerves. While most Manilenos are presumably familiar with the malongs from Maguindanao, very few are probably familiar with the silk malongs that Maguindanaons use for ceremonial occasions like weddings, circumcision rituals, and baby hair-cutting ceremonies.
PROMOTING TEXTILE AND WEAVING TRADITION
It is crucial to nurture this artistry in various ways because it is still in decline. Promoting textile traditions and Filipino textiles is a collective effort for all. Weaving tradition is passed down to younger generations while we work on sustainability issues. The supply chain to make the fabrics expands along with indigenous people’s demand for hand-woven fabrics due to a lack of resources and equipment. Therefore, it is beneficial if we encourage Filipino textile artistry.
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